


The Worst Kind of Distraction

by frozenCinders



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 14:26:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11038032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frozenCinders/pseuds/frozenCinders
Summary: Kabuto has an uncanny knack for stumbling upon orphans on the streets during his minor missions. You'd think he would have been able to ignore them by now.





	The Worst Kind of Distraction

Kabuto allowed himself a quiet sigh of relief, his job finally done after five extra unforeseen days in this shitty little village. He'd hoped to get the information quicker, but the people who were supposed to meet up there took their sweet time. Thankfully, he hadn't run out of funds in that extra time, so he was fine aside from wishing he was home already.

He rounded a corner on his way out of the small village only to find the worst kind of distraction. He wished he'd taken a different route and just didn't have to know about this, but-

"Mister, please," the child begged, "just a little bit of-"

"You get what you pay for, kid. And you ain't paying," the man grumbled, shutting the back door to the building in the kid's face. He stood there for a moment, posture weak and hands clasped over each other on his chest, before he sat down and started crying. Kabuto felt something horrible and familiar at the sight, and, with this being one of the rare situations where this is possible, he absolutely couldn't beat down the empathy he was feeling.

What could he really do? Adopt the kid and force him to live moving from dark, creepy underground base to base? With Orochimaru and all his test subjects? And it wasn't as if he held a fortune in his pocket, so he couldn't even leave the kid with a blessing that would fix his situation permanently. And god, he wished he just didn't care.

Resigned, Kabuto already reached for his wallet before even approaching the kid, taking out every bit of money from it. He was about to go home anyway, so it was an inconsequential loss. He could just say he spent the money on reasonable things while he was stuck there if asked.

"Hey," he gently addressed, holding his hand out to the kid, "here."

The kid's quiet sobs faded as he looked up at Kabuto, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"F-for me?"

"Yes. Don't spend it all in one place. As for your future once this is spent, I recommend learning how to fish. Hunting isn't appropriate for someone of your age, but fishing is easy," he suggested, having repeated that phrase many times.

"But I don't... know how... Can you teach me?"

He'd heard that a few times too. He offered the kid a gentle smile.

"Sorry, I have to leave. But there's a library here, so see if you can find a book on it. If not, just ask around."

"Th-thank you..." the kid said, voice shaking as he began to cry again. It didn't seem like sad, desperate crying anymore, at least.

Kabuto, unsure of what to do, ruffled the kid's hair and left. Once he'd turned around, his expression faded to a more serious one and he adjusted his glasses, keeping his hand there in thought. The kid was none of his business. There was no reason for him to-- ...

Kabuto immediately spun on his heel, his fake, sheepish smile visible again.

"I almost forgot. What's your name?"

"Tora..?" the kid seemed to pause, brow furrowing.

"Hm? Just Tora?"

"I forget the rest..."

"Then maybe some day, you'll find it," Kabuto encouraged, seriously about to punch himself if he didn't stop himself from voicing his next thought. "As for your family name..."

"I don't know what it is..."

It would be so easy to just walk away from the situation. In theory.

"You can go by Yakushi."

Tora looked up, eyes brighter than a moment ago.

"C-can I go with you?! Please?" he begged, standing up and running the short distance to Kabuto.

"I'm going somewhere very dangerous. It's not for kids."

"But..."

"Do me a favor and survive here, ok? Maybe some day, we'll meet again."

It was a possibility, he supposed, but it felt like such a lie. What right did he have to offer the kid his surname if he couldn't even take care of him? Why did he bother speaking up? He could have just ignored the kid to begin with, no doubt like everyone else in the village.

Kabuto finally continued walking away before he did something stupid- or, well, something _else_  stupid. He steeled himself to ignore the kid should he persist, but all he heard was a quiet "thank you..." at his back.

Kabuto hoped to god he could keep the kid out of his thoughts- and his dreams. Him and all the others.


End file.
